Parker Perales ran for a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns as host Lake Mary High School (12-2) made its first State Semifinal appearance a successful one, rallying past Dr. Phillips High School (12-2), 24-13, in the FHSAA Class 7A Semifinals at Don T. Reynolds Stadium last Friday night.
With their first Semifinal victory, the No. 2 seeded Rams will advance to the 2024 FHSAA Class 7A State Championship Game on South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium in Miami this Saturday at 12:30 p.m. to challenge top-seeded and defending state champion Venice High School (13-1), a 33-27 victor over Miami-Columbus High School (9-4) in the other 7A Semifinal.
Parales was thrust into the lead running back role when standout senior Isaiah Thomas was sidelined with a knee injury.
And the senior responded with 74-yards rushing on 14 carries and the two touchdowns as Lake Mary avenged a 26-21 regular season setback at the hands of the Panthers in Orlando.
But it was another set of unexpected ‘legs’ that got the Rams going as quarterback Noah Grubbs carried the ball three times for 30 yards of a 56-yard drive, including a 1-yard touchdown blast, that gave the hosts a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
Moments later, Emilio Bacardi nailed a 30-yard field goal that gave Lake Mary a 10-0 lead on the first play of the second quarter.
Dr. Phillips finally dented the scoreboard when Maliki Wright got Rams defense and scored on a 79-yard pass from Stanley Anderson-Lofton. The PAT was missed and Lake Mary took a 10-6 lead into the halftime intermission.
The Panthers would eat up most of the third period with an 86-yard drive that was capped by a 5-yard wildcat score from Amari Major that gave the guest a 13-10 lead with just 2:28 left in the frame.
But the Rams answered with an 82-yard drive hi lighted by catches of 21- and 23-yards from Gubbs to Carson Friedman and Parales ran 18-yards to paydirt to put the hosts back ahead for good early in the fourth quarter.
Lake Mary finally put the game away when Rodney Joyner blocked a punt and Parales scored on a 2-yard run to make the score 24-13 with 2:30 remaining and Curtis Woods ended all doubts with an interception with 1:31 left.
Grubbs, who rushed for 49-yards on eight carries, finished the night 14-for-24 passing for 227-yards with Friedman catching six passes for 116-yards and Chase Hinshaw making four receptions for 68-yards.
The Rams’ defense, led by star linebacker Luke Prieto with 11 tackles, came up huge, making six quarterback sacks with Prieto and Joyner making two each, to go along with the blocked punt and the interception.
Here is the box score:
Lake Mary 24, Dr. Phillips 13
First Quarter
LM _ Noah Grubbs 1 run (Emilio Bacardi kick).
Second Quarter
LM _ Emilio Bacardi 30 FG.
DP _ Maliki Wright 79 pass from Stanley Anderson-Lofton (kick failed).
Third Quarter
DP _ Amari Major 5 run (Federico Montalvo-Salazar kick).
Fourth Quarter
LM _ Parker Perales 18 run (Emilio Bacardi kick).
LM _ Parker Perales 2 run (Emilio Bacardi kick).
Here are the FHSAA scores and schedules:
FHSAA Playoffs
Regionals
Quarterfinals
Friday, November 15
Class 6A-Region 1
(3) Pace 49, (6) Oviedo 21.
Class 7A-Region 1
(1) Lake Mary 49, (8) DeLand 14.
(5) Spruce Creek 36, (4) Flagler Palm Coast 35.
(3) Orange City-University 31, (6) Winter Park 23.
(2) Seminole 38, (7) St. Johns-Creekside 28.
Semifinals
Friday, November 22
Class 7A-Region 1
(1) Lake Mary 52, (5) Spruce Creek 32.
(2) Seminole 24, (3) Orange City-University 20.
Finals
Friday, November 29
Class 7A-Region 1
(1) Lake Mary 42, (2) Seminole 3.
State Final 4
Class 7A
Semifinals
Friday, December 6
(1) Venice 33, (4) Miami-Columbus 27.
(3) Dr. Phillips vs. (2) Lake Mary 24, (3) Dr. Philips 13.
State Championship
At South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium, Miami
Saturday, December 14
(1) Venice vs. (2) Lake Mary, 12:30 p.m.
